The variation in the effect of fairy shrimp, artemia and concentrate diet on pigmentation and skin color quality of goldfish (Carassius auratus)

Carotenoid pigments are responsible for pigmentation of edible fish muscle and skin of ornamental fishes. Accumulation of this colorful substance is important in fish marketing and there is a need to add carotenoids in cultured fish. In this study, Carassius auratus feeding was undertaken with 3 treatments including concentrate, freezed fairy shrimps (Phallocryptus spinosa) and concentrate with the same ratio and freezed Artemia urmiana and concentrate with the same ratio for 90 days. The amounts of total carotenoids were determined in the skin of different treatments at the end of the experiment using spectrophotometer model WPA, UK, astaxantin, canthaxantin and beta-carotene using HPLC model Younglin, UK. The results revealed that the most skin pigmentation obtained from the diet contained fairy shrimp. Also, carotenoid pigments were significantly higher in goldfish fed with live food supplement comparing concentrate one. The results showed a significant difference among different diets as in concentrate, concentrate and freezed fairy shrimps, concentrate and freezed artemia diets. Amounts of Mean (±SD) total carotenoids were 1.09± 0.3, 3.90 ± 0.021 and 2.07 ± 0.05mg/100, astaxantin were 84.57±0.23, 205.82± 0.40 and 102.24± 0.63 ng/g and canthaxanthin were 0.24± 0.01, 35.79± 0.17 and 30.64 ± 0.2 ng/g and beta carotene were 34.73± 0.11, 138.78 ± 0.2 and 69.77 ± 0.15 ng/g of fish skin, respectively. Therefore, Fairy shrimps can be used as a suitable replacement for artemia to enhance color of ornamental fish. This is an environmental friendly food with the lower cost compared to high cost synthetic pigments.